An existing heat exchanger, such as an air conditioner, is typically constructed by stacking a plurality of heat exchanger fins, in which a plurality of through-holes have been formed to enable heat exchanger tubes to be inserted.
Such heat exchanger fins are manufactured by a manufacturing apparatus for heat exchanger fins depicted in FIG. 16. The manufacturing apparatus for heat exchanger fins is equipped with an uncoiler 12 where a thin metal plate 10 made of aluminum or the like has been wound into a coil. The thin plate 10 pulled out from the uncoiler 12 via pinch rollers is inserted into an oil applying apparatus 16 where machining oil is applied onto the surface of the thin plate 10, and is then supplied to a mold apparatus 20 provided inside a press apparatus 18.
The mold apparatus 20 internally includes an upper mold die set 22 that is capable of up-down movement and a lower mold die set 24 that is static. A plurality of collar-equipped through-holes (not illustrated), where collars of a predetermined height are formed around through-holes, are formed at predetermined intervals in a predetermined direction by the mold apparatus 20.
The result of machining the metal thin plate to produce the through-holes and the like is hereinafter referred to as the “metal strip 11”. After being conveyed a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction, the metal strip 11 is cut into predetermined lengths by a cutter 26. The products (heat exchanger fins) produced by such cutting into predetermined lengths are stored in a stacker 28. The stacker 28 has a plurality of pins 27 erected in the perpendicular direction and stacks the manufactured heat exchanger fins by inserting the pins 27 into the through holes.
In this conventional manufacturing apparatus for heat exchanger fins, the press apparatus 18 is provided with a feeding apparatus that intermittently conveys the metal strip 11, in which a plurality of through-holes have been formed at predetermined intervals in a predetermined direction, toward the cutter 26.
FIG. 17 is a diagram useful in explaining the conveyance of the metal strip 11 by the operation of the feeding apparatus. The feeding apparatus inserts feed pins 32 from below into the through-holes formed in the metal strip 11 and, by moving the feed pins 32 in the conveying direction, conveys the metal strip 11 in the conveying direction.
The feed pins 32 are provided on moving bodies 30 that are capable of moving in the conveying direction. Through-holes that house the feed pins 32 are formed in the moving bodies 30, and the feed pins 32 are disposed so as to be capable of up-down movement inside the through-holes. In each through-hole, an enlarged diameter portion 29 formed with a large diameter is provided in a central position in the up-down direction.
A flange portion 33 with substantially the same diameter as the enlarged diameter portion 29 is formed on an intermediate part of each feed pin 32 disposed inside an enlarged diameter portion 29.
A spring 17 that is an energizing means is disposed between the flange portion 33 and the upper surface of the enlarged diameter portion 29. Via the flange portion 33, this spring 17 energizes the feed pin 32 so as to be normally pressed downward. Also, a lower end portion of each feed pin 32 protrudes from the through-hole beyond the lower surface of the moving body 30. A plate cam 74 is disposed so as to contact the protruding lower end portions of the feed pins 32.
When the lower end portion of a feed pin 32 contacts the plate cam 74, the feed pin 32 compresses the spring 17 and the upper end portion of the feed pin 32 rises while resisting the energizing force of the spring 17 to become inserted into a through-hole of the metal strip 11.
When the moving bodies 30 are moved in the conveying direction A in this state, the feed pins 32 pull the metal strip 11 so as to convey the metal strip 11. When a moving body 30 reaches a position where the plate cam 74 is not present, the feed pin 32 protrudes downward due to the energizing force of the spring 17 and the upper end portion of the feed pin 32 becomes withdrawn from a through-hole in the metal strip 11.
Patent Document 1
    Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H06-211394